January 06, 2014

Apple's iPad remained the Undisputed Tablet Champ in 2013

According to a new DigiTimes Research report, Apple ended 2013 as the undisputed champion of the tablet market worldwide. Apple shipped 70.1 million iPads taking 50% market share. Samsung came in a distant second with shipments of 33.9 million units.

With their sales failing to challenge Apple in 2013, DigiTimes is reporting that upstream supply chain sources are confirming that Samsung Electronics is planning to flood the tablet market with several different sized models including 7, 8, 10 and 12-inch in 2014 and will price its new 7-inch model, the Galaxy Tab 3 Lite at US$129 to attract consumers, according to sources from the upstream supply chain. Samsung's strategy to flood the market with tablets over the next two years was first forecasted by us back in May.

Of course iPad usage outstrips Android tablets by even a wider margin. In October, Tim Cook pointed out that the iPad had 81% market share for actual tablet usage in the US and Canada proving that most Android "shipments" were likely still sitting on retail shelves or in a consumer's sock drawer.